Rupert Sheldrake on evolutionary spirituality (and its flaws)

This is an interview with biologist and spiritual thinker Rupert Sheldrake.
We begin by discussing his career and evolution from a Cambridge biochemist to a challenger of conventional science and spiritual researcher.
Then we discuss Theosophy (20 mins)
Then we discuss empirical spirituality and its historical roots (24 mins)
Then we discuss the Huxleys - Aldous and Julian - and their influence on empirical spirituality. (30 mins). He has some fascinating things to say about Julian!
We then discuss how the New Age can be rather elitist and even eugenicist (as Julian was).
We talk about Julian's son, Francis Huxley, who was a friend of Rupert's and an anthropologist who studied shamanism.
Finally we talk about the spiritual impact of COVID19, and Rupert's work with the Anglican church.

[@geoffreynhill2833]

Top Sheldrake interview. 👍

[@katelemon2750]

Just spent an hour and a half in the middle of the night riveted by this. Thanks and love to Rupert for steadying the world throughout his life, and to Jules for his genuine eagerness. ❤

[@seabud6408]

Great interview./discussion. Interesting to hear details of Rupert’s life, which I had only heard him refer to briefly before. I have been aware of his work since 1979 and can feel the subtle influence he has and is having, on culture generally. He is a genuine international treasure … and stirrer upper 😀 Someone’s got to do it!

[@nclayton877]

Absolutely brilliant. This is how to spend a Friday night. Thank you both.

[@dreddbustya2153]

Mr Sheldrake's defence of the scientific method is inspiring. Downing St should put him in the honours list.

[@oliviergoethals4137]

What a rich life. ❤

[@Nameeejz]

I dont know how I only came across this now!! This is one of the best interviews of Rupert out there, I havent heard much of this about him and his journey to the powerful ideas he has. Thank you for a wonderful interview!

[@JulesEvans]

thanks back!

[@beauforda.stenberg1280]

I have valued Rupert Sheldrake since I first encountered him by his work 'The rebirth of nature...' which was its title by memory. It had quite extensive footnotes and bibliography and treated Animism and presented and discussed many case studies and scenarios. After reading the work, I appreciated that Sheldrake had become divorced from the primacy of scientific method and the orthodox scientific peer-reviewed community of consensus-building knowledge. That said, I still value his worldview. I know of #BedeGriffiths and his syncretism of nondual spiritual discourses in Vedanta, Santana Dharma and Christianity, but before this interview of Sheldrake, I didn't know that Sheldrake was a disciple of Griffiths. Thank you so much.

[@chrissharkey1261]

Amazing I have been feeling this for my whole life! I thought I was just odd! Thanks fellas!

[@FFE-js2zp]

Its actually funny to hear miraculous Big Bang cosmologists criticize Rupert for having faith.

[@mr1bucho]

Whoa! More interviews please with this living legend A. R. S. Somehow I got here from the Einstein/Bergson debate 1922 and how A.N.W. was related to that. Sometimes the YT algos drop real gems for us:)

[@mikegodfrey9193]

Fantastic Interview Thank you 😊

[@from-Texas]

Words get in the way of direct experience. Reality is continually manifesting before our Consciousness as we draw it into this world.

[@TheCJWemyss]

A fascinating dialogue. Thank you.

[@lencoller6477]

Thank you both,very interesting , agree or disagree, great dialogue.❤

[@georgegoodyear9631]

Thank you, Biljana, for drawing my attention to this video on Morphic Resonance. Although, as you can see from the comment below, I’ve already seen the conversation, and found it insightful. Kind regards, George.

[@mingonmongo1]

Thank you, Jules... always hungry for more of Rupert, and this kinda provided my 'fix' (lol)! Dunno, Christian, Buddhist, Atheist, whatever... no prob, as long as they don't wanna 'proselytize'. And what could be more narcissistic than making _everyone else_ bend to *_our_* personal beliefs (aka, 'The Truth')?

[@lindacarroll3718]

Thank you so much. Very inspiring. 'Redeem the dream' T.S. Eliot.

[@enantiodromiaa8589]

Really good conversation, thank you!

[@jacobckhippy]

Really Excellent interview Jules

[@christinayo4067]

For many years, i've been with Rupe on his interpretations and discoveries. However, i must point out the elitism of those who can share about the "pandemic" as being a lovely time for personal reflection and degrees of beneficial halt to compliance with the Rat Race, (indeed a plus!) while leaving out any acknowledgements for those who have lost livelihoods and shelter and otherwise economic impacts. That is, the rich made richer and the rest being rendered more poor & desperate, as well as out right being eliminated... Thankfully, this is also a "time" where many people have begun to share more... funny tho, many of them are not of the well to do fractions of peoples of this "reality." Love on y'all...

[@theonlymeaning]

nearly everyday I see an article or brief inspirational quote to guide one to using this dreadful time, especially we older people who are very isolated, in such personal reflections...underlying the suggestions is indeed the awareness of how much we may have , just being alive and virus free for example, and how desperate others may be..self-reflection easily leads to major existential thoughts. Sheldrake uses terms such as "lovely" as an Englishman...he won't be trying to virtual signal solidarity with an au currant Americanism such as "y'all". I'm in my mid-70's, in Stockton CA . I know what of , and where of, I comment. Everything and everybody does not require corrective alignment into one's own world assessment of the moment, or year.

[@mkor7]

Christina Yo: A very cogent comment. I absolutely love Rupert and have learned so much from him. But perhaps he can do a bit of reflection on the privileged status he occupies and his apparent naivety about the political and socioeconomic crisis so many are suffering with and the creeping fascism encroaching on the world today.

[@georgegoodyear9631]

Until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t heard of Rupert Sheldrake; so I found your dialogue quite intriguing and inspiring. Next stop will be to buy a book of the man’s ideas. In your opinion, which would be the best title to glean a working understanding of what he means by the term “Morphic Resonnance”? Thank you for your time.

[@biljanapapazovammann2972]

George Goodyear Than buy just the book : "Morphic Resonance" ( The Nature of formative causation), the last ed toon 2009

[@georgegoodyear9631]

Biljana Papazov Ammann Thank you for your advice.

[@biljanapapazovammann2972]

Here something interesting kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmHOoJZrYqadma8

[@jossdionne9810]

Good news, Good News!!

[@vladimir0700]

He “swallowed the whole package,” interesting choice of words

[@user-cv8nj7dh3q]

what does mr sheldrake think of prof hoff's recent work which appears to disprove 'spacetime' theory, please??? (the latter's 'amplituhedron' is a little reminiscent of Douglas Adams' '42' and, indeed, of Lewis Carroll's interest in the number, no ... only joking?!!!)

[@Frederer59]

I wonder if Rupert and Ken Wilber ever met and had discussions?

[@harryanderson7282]

Is Sheldrake aware of the fact that Leary was an informant/snitch? Also, I find Sheldrake's fear/disapproval of Transhumanism to be quite telling/funny. There is still these mundane human holdouts for whom the idea of immortality seems terrifying. I can't help but wonder if their aversion to eternal life is really an unconscious declaration of unworthiness before infinity?

[@papapetad]

@@dfunckt I like the way you conveyed that. Having listened to Terence Mc Kenna a lot, I was always perplexed when it came to his view on this subject, feeling somewhat irrational in my aversion to our evolution in that direction. You just cleared that up with brilliant simplicity. Thank you.

[@theonlymeaning]

trusting that he would and indeed has, declared himself most unworthy before infinity...the eternal.

[@robertdabob8939]

I figure he realizes transhumanism is a purely materialistic endeavor that, at it's root, seeks to dehumanize us, and misses the point of existence entirely. There's already a massive amount of awareness of the negative psychological consequences of the tech we're consumed by, and it's well understood we need less for our health and well being, not more.

[@zixx844]

@@robertdabob8939 I advocate for transhumanism specifically so you can have the choice as to what kind of world you want to live in. With such technology, Earth can be left as a nature reserve where humans are left free to have a primitive lifestyle while transhumans are free to the rest of space. I also believe in reincarnation and that life is the real enlightenment experience. We live to learn and grow, to understand ourselves better by being in a place where we can suffer and are able to work to better our situation. I don't want eternal bliss, I want to be here where I can maybe help others seek the eternal bliss they desire, but I know eternal bliss is not right for my soul. So, give me immortality and let me be a helping hand to others.

[@robertdabob8939]

@@zixx844 I respect your opinion for sure. Personally, I think all that star trek sci fi kinda thing is delusional, and space is too hostile to human life to realistically think that way. I also think looking out there reflects the overly externalized or extroverted nature of our culture, and that reflects the well understood lacking in our psychological, or inner development. Which is where I think true advancements in human development and enlightenment lies. But hey, I could be wrong, and I might read of watch something next week that shifts my perspective again, so to me it's all about what inspires you to keep expanding your thinking and growing in your own way. So to each their own. 👊

[@deejannemeiurffnicht1791]

The interviewery guy like REALLY lockdowny there with the beard and expression.

[@whatevermait1]

what the hell, man! i didn`t know that things were THAT messed up. Jesus. Thanx

[@MikeNewham]

Enjoying this dialogue a lot! Am surprised to hear Sheldrake espouse 2nd generation Theosophists (Leadbeater, Besant) over Blavatsky. Leadbeater messed up a lot of core theosophical doctrines and tried to get folk back into beliveing there was a mediator between you and the Absolute - hence his support of the Liberal Catholic Church, etc. His pernicious influence contributed to the withdrawal of the Masters of Wisdom from their overt guidance of the Theosophical Movement. See here for more - blavatskytheosophy.com/the-unavoidable-facts-about-c-w-leadbeater/

[@user-cv8nj7dh3q]

"pick 'n' mix'!!!

[@teleconferencing-arkadin6748]

#IresonateWithSheldon

[@user-cv8nj7dh3q]

the problem i have with anglicanism, with respect, is it's, imho, erasure of Mary?

[@rhqstudio4107]

26 in 68 . That could make a person

[@rhqstudio4107]

What a life!!!!

[@user-cv8nj7dh3q]

ironically, religion's become probably as dangerous as politics, perhaps, yet, secularism could be said to engender nihilism, alienation and anomie???

[@DEeMONsworld]

his problem has always been that of labeling others approaches with a condescending niche or classification terminology as if they were a genus and specie's of butterfly. He is hung up on "isms"

[@theonlymeaning]

not really....the isms or hang ups may be in the eye of the beholder.......he's a biologist ! Do try to figure out how a classifying technique may have been a learning aid...never in any of his books or lectures, or conversations like this, have I ever felt even a hint of condescension....perhaps his very relaxed facility in speaking an especially lovely English brings out class dislike in one awkward in speaking... I completely enjoy being immersed in listening to his pleasant tones, words so easily employed...he causes me to love the rich vocabulary of the English language even more.

[@zixx844]

I quite disagree on several of Sheldrakes takes here. I respect his work on Morphic resonance and psi but his takes on transhumanism in particular are way off the mark. What transhumanists ultimately believe is that being forced to die against your will is immoral and that physical aging is something we need to cure so people are free to live the lives they want. One can hardly argue that someone developing dementia, sciatica, brittle bones and heart problems is something good that should be cherished. I would also deeply question the idea that Christianity is humble. The gigantic churches with enormous bells and towering organs bellowing out music are hardly what I would call humble. Not to mention the push by Christians to have their beliefs be given special treatment by the law. From what I have seen, Christianity simply does promote what Rupert Sheldrake here is claiming it does. Perhaps his church is different and really does attempt to follow Christ's teachings. But for most churches, its about seeing themselves as morally superior and believing that their way is the only way and they need to force their way onto everyone else, its not about actually following the example Jesus Christ gave. All I want as a transhumanist is to have a nice little asteroid where I am free to observe the stars, feeding off the sunlight via solar panels and ponder on the marvels of the universe. I have zero intention of making anyone do anything they don't want to do.

[@artandculture5262]

😂😂😂

[@andyokus5735]

Duh, we all have free will given by our Creator.

[@blackbird5634]

Sit in a lotus or half lotus position, close your eyes or half close your eyes. There. Now you are meditating. Anyone who tells you differently, anyone who insists you learn their way, is full of sh** and wants disciples and to be a guru. And group anything is participating in a herd experience. if you want that, fine, but realize it has limits.

[@ThomasRuf-dc3lx]

Alife